WATCH: Delhi Police constable, 7 months pregnant, lifts 145 Kg, wins bronze medal

Delhi Police constable, 7 months pregnant, lifts 145 Kg, wins bronze medal

Only a few in the audience perhaps would have expected to witness something extraordinary when Delhi Police constable Sonika Yadav, 31, walked up to the platform at the All India Police Weightlifting Cluster 2025–26 in Andhra Pradesh on October 17.

Most spectators assumed she had simply moved up from her regular 65-kg category to the 84-kg division, perhaps due to recent weight gain. But when Sonika crouched down and gripped the barbell for a 145-kg deadlift, murmurs filled the hall. Moments later, shock turned into awe — Sonika wasn’t just heavier, she was seven months pregnant.

“Come on, Soni!” the crowd roared, as the constable — who only took up powerlifting in 2023 — showed that strength is far more than physical.

Defying limits, redefining strength

W/Ct. Sonika of @DcpNorthDelhi clinched Bronze medal at the All India Police Weightlifting Cluster 2025-26, Amravati (A.P.), lifting a total of 350 kg in 84+ kg category — while 7 months pregnant!

True embodiment of strength, courage &… pic.twitter.com/F9jqYdXAFB

Related stories

• 
  Delhi: Four wanted Bihar gangsters shot dead in police encounter in Rohini
• 
  Delhi ashram sexual assault: Baba Chaitanyananda confronted with pics, chats with women found on his...
• 
  Delhi Police cautions public against cyber fraudsters who exploit greed, fear

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) October 24, 2025

Earlier in May, Sonika had discovered she was pregnant right before a gym session. Her husband assumed that meant she’d take a break from training, but she had other plans.

“I don’t want pregnancy to be taken as a setback or something that stops women from doing something. It is normal and I wanted to set an example,” Sonika told The Indian Express. “Throughout my pregnancy I lifted weights and geared up for the championship. I did not want to give up just because I was pregnant.”

Her perseverance paid off. Sonika went on to win a bronze medal in her category and continues to train even now.

Also Read | Shreyas Iyer moved out of ICU after spleen laceration: What is the injury and how long does it take to heal

During the competition, she completed 125 kg squats, 80 kg bench press, and finally, that breathtaking 145 kg deadlift. Originally, she had planned to attempt 135 kg, but decided to push herself for a podium finish.

In her research before the event, Sonika found that very few women globally had competed in powerlifting while pregnant. One such athlete, Lucie Martins, inspired her further.

“I researched and saw that in the world of powerlifting, a woman named Lucie Martins had done this during her pregnancy in a competition. I immediately reached out to her on Instagram to take some tips,” Sonika said. “She told me we must squeeze our belly in and then do the lift as we normally do. I practiced that and even implemented it.”

Also Read | Police escort Australia women cricketer and her wife to cafe after Indore molestation incident

At the venue, Sonika wore loose clothes, prompting many to assume she had simply bulked up for the new weight class. When her husband helped her up after the bench press, spectators thought little of it — unaware that she was carrying a baby.

“Since I was pregnant I couldn’t get up straight on my own… so my husband helped. Even then some people did not realise,” she recalled. “During lifts, one needs to wear a belt but I could not owing to my belly size. Once everyone was fully aware, it felt great. Women walked up to me, participants from other police forces came up to me and congratulated me. They all clicked pictures.”

A 2014-batch officer, Sonika is currently posted in the Community Policing Cell. Earlier, she served as a beat officer in Majnu ka Tila, where she played a key role in curbing drug abuse — an effort that earned recognition from the Delhi Police Commissioner in 2022. She was also felicitated by Union Minister Smriti Irani on Women’s Day.

Mother to a daughter born in 2017, Sonika balances her demanding job, family life, and training with constant medical supervision. She has been consulting her gynaecologist throughout her pregnancy and even after the championship to ensure her health remains uncompromised.

Her fitness journey began with kabaddi, where she represented the Delhi Police team. Initially, she joined the gym simply to lose weight, but soon realised her natural affinity for powerlifting — often lifting weights comparable to professional athletes.

Back in August 2023, Sonika won her first gold medal at the Delhi State Powerlifting Championship, setting the tone for a remarkable run that has since become an inspiring story of strength, determination, and motherhood.